August 17, 200719 yr Not nearly as much depth IMO...from the first player to the last, overall quality was better for UK '96... College Basketball didn't have that much talent that year either.
August 17, 200719 yr No chance 9 players in the NBA:thumb: Is that what you are basing this on? If so, only time will tell.
August 17, 200719 yr Is that what you are basing this on? If so, only time will tell. Lets see Kentucky that year played in the best conference in America (the SEC had 4 Sweet 16 teams and 2 Final 4 teams, Georgia was beat on a last 2nd shot). Kentucky absolutely dominated beating teams by large margins all season long. There is not another team in the last 25 years who dominated like this team did throughout the season. I don't believe anyone came within 25 or 30 of them until the Final 4. Duke had a great team, but was not as deep as Kentucky. That team did not have players like Ron Mercer, Wayne Turner, Allen Edwards, Jeff Sheppared (future Final 4 MVP) and Mark Pope coming off the bench! That team with a good 4 man could compete for a National title in itself.
August 17, 200719 yr Uk will never be like they were in 96'. Considering that many argue it's the greatest college team ever, and probably no worse than top 2 or 3, it would be a bit naive to expect UK to reach that level again. I mean, think about it. In the history of UK they have never had a team that good, and only one (1978) that I've heard anyone even try to debate. In the history of college hoops there are only a handful programs that have had teams comparable, IMO...it's just not likely we'll see a team that great again. I'd love it if we did, but I'd be satisfied for a team that is in the argument as the best for that season.
August 17, 200719 yr College Basketball didn't have that much talent that year either. Can you elaborate upon this point?
August 17, 200719 yr Lets see Kentucky that year played in the best conference in America (the SEC had 4 Sweet 16 teams and 2 Final 4 teams, Georgia was beat on a last 2nd shot). Kentucky absolutely dominated beating teams by large margins all season long. There is not another team in the last 25 years who dominated like this team did throughout the season. I don't believe anyone came within 25 or 30 of them until the Final 4. Duke had a great team, but was not as deep as Kentucky. That team did not have players like Ron Mercer, Wayne Turner, Allen Edwards, Jeff Sheppared (future Final 4 MVP) and Mark Pope coming off the bench! That team with a good 4 man could compete for a National title in itself. If you are using the NCAA tourny as the only measuring stick, then per capita, yes the SEC was the best conference in '95-'96. I am not one to solely base things on a single elimination tourny, personally... the SEC did have 4 teams make it to the Sweet 16; what was amazing is that only 4 teams in the conference received a bid (UK, Miss. St., Arkansas, Georgia). With the exception of these teams, the conference was pretty much looked down upon. A lot of that I believe had to do with how good of a team UK was.
August 17, 200719 yr It always looks bad when there is a 30+ point loss or 2 on the schedule for everyone who played Kentucky with the exception of Georgia and Arkansas I believe. Maybe the rest of the conference was not great (I believe South Carolina and Ole Miss were pretty good though) but the 4 teams at the top were very good and these 4 teams pretty well beat up on the rest of the conference. But the fact is Kentucky was stacked and I think they are the best team ever assembled.
August 17, 200719 yr Lets see Kentucky that year played in the best conference in America (the SEC had 4 Sweet 16 teams and 2 Final 4 teams, Georgia was beat on a last 2nd shot). Kentucky absolutely dominated beating teams by large margins all season long. There is not another team in the last 25 years who dominated like this team did throughout the season. I don't believe anyone came within 25 or 30 of them until the Final 4. Duke had a great team, but was not as deep as Kentucky. That team did not have players like Ron Mercer, Wayne Turner, Allen Edwards, Jeff Sheppared (future Final 4 MVP) and Mark Pope coming off the bench! That team with a good 4 man could compete for a National title in itself. Were are these players now? Only a few even made it to the NBA and were noticable out of the so-called 9. Great, but not the best team ever. Didn't this issue come up on ESPN a few months ago?
August 17, 200719 yr Not nearly as much depth IMO...from the first player to the last, overall quality was better for UK '96... :thumb: I 100% agree, no way was either of those Duke teams comparable to the 96' U.K. team. Those Duke teams were very good but jmo they did not compare at all with the 96' Cats. The #2 team in the nation in 96" were the 2nd 5 on U.K.. (JMO - lol)
August 17, 200719 yr UK fans don't really think that team could beat either UNC '82 and/or '93 or Duke '91 and/or Duke '92, do they?
August 17, 200719 yr :thumb: I 100% agree, no way was either of those Duke teams comparable to the 96' U.K. team. Those Duke teams were very good but jmo they did not compare at all with the 96' Cats. The #2 team in the nation in 96" were the 2nd 5 on U.K.. (JMO - lol) UMass and Miss. St. both beat them. UMass, they just didn't have an answer for the quick guards and Mr. Camby, who killed them inside. If that team had a weakness, it was inside. Once teams got passed the press, which I'll give you didn't happen to often, UK was very vulnerable on the inside. They would definately be top 3 behind: Duke '92, who absolutely bashed the Fab 5 by 20. 26 of 34 wins by double digits and UNC '82, MJ, Perkins, Worthy, etc. Dean Smith
August 17, 200719 yr ^Yeah, and they beat both Miss. State and Umass (in the final four no less)......and check the stats on the link, UK had 30 double digit wins that season, more than the 92 Duke team. And who knows, if that guy for G-Town hadn't thrown the ball right to James Worthy then they might not have even won that game.
August 17, 200719 yr Check the draft class. What are you talking about? The draft class has little to do with the talent. What if some of the talent stayed in school. Van Horn, Duncan, Battie, Knight, along with many others were in college that year.
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